The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-14

meeting in the Methodist church, while
many were kneeling at the foot OF the
altar, this boy knelt in corner OF the
church all by himself and said: Precious
Savior, thou art saving others. o, wilt
thon not save mc| A Presbyterian elder
knclt beside him and led him into the
! light. Enthroned Alfred Cookmanl Tell
me from the skies, were YOU converted
! too carly2 But cannot hear his answer.
1t is overp0wcred by the huzzahs of the
! tens Of thousands who were brought to
God through his ministry. Isaac Watts,
| the great christian poet, was converted at
/ nine years of age. Robert Hall, the lgeat
| Baptist evangelist; was converted at twelve
| years of age, Jonathan Edwards, the
| greatest OF American logicians, was con-
verted at seven years Of age.
''Oh, for one generation OF holy men and
women. Shall il be the next? Fathers
| and mothers, you under God are TO de-
eide whether from your families shall 20
forth towards, incbriates, counterieitcrs,
blasphemen, and whether there shall be
those bearing your image and carrying
your name fostering in the low haunis OF
vice, and floundering in dissipation and
making the midnight Of their lives horrid
with long howl OF ruin, or whether from
your family affairs shall come the christians,
the rci0rmes, the teachers, the ministers
OF Christ, the Comiortcrs of the troubled,
the hcalen Of the sick, the enactes of
good laws, the founders OF charitable in
stitutiOns, and great many who shall in
the humber sphere OF toll and usefulness
serve God and the best interests of the hui
man race.
You cannot. as parents, shrk the re-
sponsihility. God has charged YOU with
n mission, and all the thrones OF heaven
are waiting 30 see whether YOU will do
your duty. We must not forget that it is
not 80 much what We teach our children
as what we are in their presence. We
wish them TO be better than we are, but
the probability is that they will only be
reproductions OF our own character Ger
man literature has much TO say OF the
'spcctcr Of Brockcn.' Among those
mountains travellers, in certain conditions
OF the atmosphere, see themselves copied
on a gigantic scale in the clouds. At int
the travellers do not realize that il is them
selves ON larger scale. When they lit
hand or move the head this monster spec
ter does the same, and with such enlarge
ment OF proportions that the scene il most
exciting, and thousands have gone 10 that
place Just 10 behold the spcctcr OF
Broken. The probability is that SOME
OF our faults which We consider small and
Insignificant. il We do not put an
end Ia them. will be copied on
q larger scale IN the lives uf our children,
and perhaps dilatcd aud exaggerated into
spectral proportions. You need not 20 rs
iar of rs the Broken To see that process.
The iirst thing in importance IN the educa-
ton oi our children is TO make ourselves.
by the grace Of God, III examples 10 bc
copied. The day will come when vol
must confront that child. not in the church
pew on a calm Sabbath. but amid the con
stornation OF the rising dead, and the Nv
ing heavens, and "A burning world From
your side that son or daughter, bone uf
your bone, heart Of your heart, the fathers
brow his brow, the mothers eve his eve,
shall go forth Ia an eternal destiny. What
will be- your JOY II at last YOU hear their
feet IN the same golden highway, and hear
their voices IN the same rapturOus song
illustrations. while the eternal ages last.
OF what q faithful parent could, under
God, accomplish. 1 was reading of A
mother who, dying. had all her Children
about her, and took each one of them Nv
the hand. and asked them Ia meet her i'm
heaven, and with tears aud sobs. such ~
those only know who have stood by the
dpath-bcd OF good old mother. They all
promised, but there was a Young man Of
nineteen who had been very wild and
reckless, and hand. aud proud. and when
she took his hand she said: Nov. nv
boy, ! want you io promise me, before /
die, that YOU will become christian and
meet me in heaven. fla, sVtaig Amln
made no answer, Tor th0ruayss - much
ior him Ia give up ii lac made and kept
such promise.
"ndithc agcdmothcrporsistcd In saving.
You won't deny me that before 1 90,
will youF This parting must not be- for
ever. Tell me now You will serve God
and meet me Ia the land where there il
no parting Quaking with emotion Ice
,toui, making up his mind and hnling
and hcs.laling. but II last his stubborn.
ness yielded and be- thh.v 49, arm around
h.s mothers neck aud sid Noz. mother.
/ will. / WILL As be- finished the Last
v0ri Of hi- prlmi~a hcr spirit a-ccndcd. I
thank God toe Young man kept bis prom
i-r lc- b. kept h. May Cod give al
mother ami fathers the g'line. oi their
ch.hlrn's salvation.
'lor 40 who lra irving o. DO their duty
as parents ] quote the tremendous pisaei:
Train up rlili In ihc Nay Ia which b.
should 81. and Whau hn b. uil d. will not
depart from &c. d. through glol dicip.
lig. and prayer AMI s,-l.y example you are
acting upon chat child, sou have the right
~ expect him i1 grow up yiriu0us And
bow many tear NJ JOS Won viii shed when
sou sse your child honorable AMI just and
truthful and christian and successful "a
holy man amid q world Of dishonesty, a
g1ily woman boz V0dd Of frivolous pro.
tension. When y0u come 90 die they will
gather 20 hie-- your ll.i hour. They will
push back ihc white locks On your cold
forehead aud say what q epul father be
always was 10 nr" They will fold your
hands peacefully aud -ly Dear moihcrl
She j. gone. Her troubles are an over.